The Cross
by Hollandtheamoeba
Summary: Part of the Evanescence/Within Temptation challenge...Rodolphus Lestrange looks back on his marriage to Bellatrix....one-shot...please review!


**The Cross**

**a/n: a one off....Bellatrix lestrange was one of my fave characters in the movies..I love helena boham carter shes an amazing actress!! this a tribute to her..for the way she made her character come alive so brilliantly!!**

**might turn it into a full story depending on feedback!**

**please review...the lyrics at the end were taken from within tempation's the cross!**

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****1981**

**Whether it was the effect of the Dementors, Rodolphus did not know...As he ate his measley rations his thoughts took him back to the first time he saw his wife........**

**eight years ago.....**

"Cissy!" Bellatrix cried out, "What is he like? Is he handsome? Is he rich?"

"Bella!" her sister ran into Bellatrix's open arms as they walked about the Black family grounds. It was a beautiful day as two young beautiful sisters were excited about an upcoming wedding...The lay on the grass gazing up at the cloudless sky..Narcissa had just graduated from Hogwarts and was now engaged!

"So! Tell me all about him!"

"Well Bells, he is goregous!! And rich of course! I was delighted when mama and papa were pleased with my choosing!" she clapped her hands in delight.

"Don't keep me in suspense any longer Cissy you know how i don't like it!"

"Ok ok,"

"So who is he?"

"Lucius Malfoy!" Narcissa giggled and leapt up prancing around like a child across the lawn. Bellatrix had vaguely remembered the Malfoy boy at Hogwarts, but that was only because he'd managed to cause not only a lot of trouble for Gryffindors but muggle borns as well. This amused Bellatrix especially as he never got caught and apprently even became prefect!

"Cissy i'm so happy for you!"

"Ha! Who'd ever have thought it?" Narcissa teased,"My cold hearted sister actually happy?"

"I am not cold hearted!" she pouted.

"Are too!"

"Prove it!"

"Titus Rosier!"

"What about him?"

"According Lucius, Titus had a thing for you,"

"So?"

"You broke his ity bity heart,"Narcissa mocked. Bellatrix grinned. It was true that she was renowned as "heartless" she even called herself a cold hearted bitch.

"His own fault,"

"How?"

"He annoyed me,"

"But he _liked _you Bella!"

"God Cissy your sounding like _her_," Both Bellatrix and Narcissa knew exactly who _her_ was referred to. Their sister Andromeda Black. To this day they could still vividly hear their mother's shrieking and cursing after their-now-disowned sister..They could still smell the singed wallpaper of the family tree as her name had been cursed off for marrying the mud blood.

"Never Bella,never!" she gasped. Unlike her sister, Narcissa still missed Andromeda, but kept it secret. Bellatrix however knew how she felt and almost despised her sister for it.

As they continued their walk around the beautiful grounds, Narcissa asked,"What about you Bella, have you found anyone worthy or your, well, worthy of you marrying them,"

Bella laughed, a rareity to laugh at something innocent. She laughed at the fact her sister couldn't say "affections" Bella felt nothing. Neither an attachment nor affection-she considered it a weakness. The only exception, was of course, Cissy. Tugging at her beautiful dark curls Bella thought,"Nope! Not a single one!" It was a lie, of course, but she knew her sister would never know that. Bellatrix had recently joined an elite group called the Death Eaters. She had found herself besotted with their leader, Lord Voldemort, or the Dark Lord as she referred to him as. However she knew her family wouldn't agree,as there was no proof of blood staus or wealth. So she kept her mouth shut instead.

"What is it Bella?" Cissy asked, noticing her sister's frown.

"Nothing Cissy, nothing at all," she grinned.

"You know, i'm sure you'll find a suitor, why you're far more beautiful than i, and i myself am engaged!"

"Very true.."

"Miss Bella, mistress would like to see you in the drawing room," their house elf suddenly squeaked.

"Very well Prudence, coming Cissy?"

Bellatrix and her sister went back into the house, they paused at the door of the drawing room, listening to their mother's conversation. "Yes Darla, i agree they would make an excellent match, my Bella would be happy to oblige,"

"Is that Rodolphus Lestrange?" Cissy snorted as she peered through the crack of the door.

"And mother wants me to marry him!" Bella whispered harshly.

"You can't surely?" she asked her sister, who as always had an unreadable look on her face. "But Bella! He's ridiculous! There has to be another,"

Straightening herself up, Bellatrix ignored her sisters remarks, knocked on the door and entered the drawing room.

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"Ah my darling Bella," Druella greeted her daughter.

"This is Darla Lestrange and her son Rodolphus,whom, i trust you are accquainted with him,"

"Yes mother,"

"Excellent! Darla and i were just agreeing on what an aimiable match you to would make!" Druella clapped her hands in delight,"Wouldn't you agree Bella?" All this time Bellatrix had being staring at Rodolphus with distaste. Rodolphus however, eyed Bellatrix with admiration. He had always admired her cunning, intellengence and beauty, and now she would finally be his.

Turning to face her mother she replied,"Yes mother."

"Excellent! Why don't you and Rodolphus get reacquainted whilst Druella and myself make wedding prepartions?"

"Of course mother," Bellatrix bowed and Rodolphus followed her out of the drawing room. She exchanged a cold glance with Narcissa as she went out to the gardens..

"So, we are to unify our families,"

"Indeed," Bellatrix said coldly.

"It will a respectable unification." He added. Bellatrix yawned as he bored her. Taking her hand he looked deep into her eyes,"There is no one i'd rather marry,"

Taking her hand away hastily she replied,"Well there is no one i'd marry at all. The only reason i agreed was to uphold family tradition. So don't get any ideas." she retorted.

"Of course,"

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**one year later**

It was the annual anniversary of the unification of Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange. Both their familes had gathered in their mansion. Rodolphus had presented his wife with an expensive emerald and sliver serpent's necklace, all their guests remarked at the perfect match. But what saddened Rodolphus was the fact that they were not the perfect match. He looked at his sister in law, Narcissa and her husband Lucius, they were in a loving arrangement. Bellatrix and himself were not. He had only once made love to his wife and that was on their wedding night. Yet she had shown no signs of pleasure or affection even til this very day.

He became a death eater, originally to please his wife, but he saw how besotted she was over their leader, Lord Voldemort. Rodolphus could do nothing. He was trapped in this loveless marriage. And it had turned him into a cold heartless monster. And yet there were days when he'd look into his wife's cold empty eyes and say to himself..

_Release me from this cross after all these years  
Oh call my name and help me with this weight  
Even though it comes far too late_

I keep wondering why  
I'm still calling your name through my tears

Why have you waited to embrace me my dear  
Cold is your silence, denying what is real  
I'm still wondering why I'm still calling your name  
and I wonder, oh I wonder ...

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****a/n: well what did you think?? not my best work, i'll admit...but please review!!!**


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